The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-06-01

ment OF general prlnclpleS tO u con-
sideration of the particular circum-
stances of our own case; it is pro-
position capable of the clesrest
demonstration that the government
of these islands has become in large
measure, to use the language quoted
above, obstructive of those ends"
for which all legitimate government
is established and maintained. To
this statement, ! think, few men of
American birth, or trained in res
pect for American ideas will take
exception. More than this, it is
clear that the constant and by no
means slow tendency of things is
from bad to worse; and that year by |
year, and almost month by month,
we see plainly manifested on the
part Of our rulers, q disposition less
conservative and more obstructive"
of every interest which virtuous and
patriotic men hold dear.
II is not my purpose to formulate
an indictment against the Hawaiian
Government, or TO recite in detail
the successive and progressive steps
by which that Government has for
feited the confidence and respect of
all honest, intelligent and disinter-
ested people who live under its
sway. The picture stands before us
in bold outline and vivid colors the
record is so plain that the wayfaring
man, though fool, can read as he
runs, and need not err in his conclu-
sions.
All history has a tendency to re-
peat itself; and we accordingly see,
not only substantial correspond
ence between many of the evils COM
planned of by our forefathers, and
those under which we ourselves now
suffer, but in some instances an
identity so exact, that the precise
words used in formulating their COM
plants against the king and govern
ment of Great Britain, would answer
perfectly well to describe certain
items in our own catalogue of
| grievances.
l will not weary you, nor trespass
upon the courtesy of the BULLETIN
by making verbatim quotations, but
will simply ask you to turn to the
first accessible copy of that honored
historic document, and see for your
selves how fully its language bears
out the statement just made. Along
with numerous other invasions of
the rights and interests of the colo
nists, it is charged against King
George iii that he has refused his
assent to wholesome and necessary
laws; that he has sought TO prevent
the growth of the population by
placing obstacles in the way of
naturalization and hindering the
acquisition of lands; that he has
obstructed the administration of
justice and made judges dependent
on his will for the tenure of their
offices; that he has created multi.
tude of new and useless offices
whose incumbents, in the words Of
the,"Declaration," "harass our peo.
pie ana eat out their substance -
that he has kept standing armies
among them in time of peace, and
affected to make the military indie.
pendent Of, and superior to, the
civil power, etc., ett.
Turn now for moment from this
statement of wrongs inflicted on the
American Colonies, and consider the
political history of the Hawaiian
Islands for the last few years. Can
any intelligent person, with even the
most superficial knowledge of Ha.
waiian affairs, be he American OF
otherwise, fail to recognize the strik
ing parallel! Have we not in re
peated instances, seen the roya
/ assent refused to wholesome ant
necessary laws? Have not the kins
! and his confederates placed on th'
statute book a naturalization Law
under which it is impossible for th'
: great majority of foreign denizens
be their residence ever so long ant
their characters ever so unimpeach
able, to acquire the rights of citizen
ship, and have they not by thei
persistent refusal to act, virtually
nullifed the wise and statesmanlik'
law for the granting of Government
i. lands to actual settlers? Have the,
not sought to make the minor judi
| ciary subservient to the royal whin
by abolishing the limited contro
: over their appointment, formerl,
/ held by the Supreme Court, ant
2 vesting the same, if not in the kin,
: directly, at least in his creature
. and those who are dependent on hi
: pleasure for the breath of thei
official life? Are not those persons
, in many instances, utterly unfit t.
, be trusted with such responsibility
and is not the lowering of the char
acter of our magistrates, the impair
ment of their independence and tn
r resulting loss of public confidenc
! and respect, most real and gray
obstruction to the administration 0
: justice2 Has there not been
, multiplication of offices for whic
there is neither justification no
shadow of excuse; and have not tn
, salaries and profits Of those form
: erly existing been increased in
: reckless and extravagant manner
, Are not some of these offices virtu
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